The Gaudeamus Interpreters' Competition 2003
The 34th International Gaudeamus Interpreters' Competition took place in Rotterdam in March, as part of the Rotterdam Music Biennial. Preliminary rounds and Semi-Finals were held in the Rotterdam Conservatory from 24th February to 1st March. During these stages the field of contestants was narrowed down from the 103 original entrants to 16 Semi-Finalists.
The final round was held in the Juriaanse Saal of Rotterdam's 'De Doelen' concert hall at 20.15 on the 2nd March. Philip Howard emerged as the jury's choice from the final five. Second Prize went to the German Recorder Quartet QNG138; the Geneva Guitar Duo took away the Third Prize.
The whole ten days proved a gruelling process for the eventual winner, particularly in view of the three performances of Xenakis's fearsome Evryali that he gave during that time (including a 'warm-up' concert at the Amsterdam Conservatory the day before). Here's what he had to play:
Round 1: Xenakis: Evryali; Paul Newland: "...butterfly dreaming..."
Round 2, 1st hearing: Finnissy: Eadweard Muybridge-Edvard Munch from A History of Photography in Sound (this was the contestants' own choice round)
Round 2, 2nd hearing: Berg: Sonate, Op.1
Final Round (click to hear the performance!): Xenakis: Evryali; Max Wilson: Zeitlin (on)
Here's what the Dutch Press had to say about Philip Howard's performance in the Final Round: …In contrast, the Englishman Philip Howard revealed the structure of Evryali by Xenakis much better. He clearly profits from the advantage that he also composes, and his technique is really flawless. [NRC-Handelsblad, 3rd March 2003]
Overall his interpretation of Evryali by Iannis Xenakis made a big impression.
This work - not for nothing did the composer himself call it 'a sort of athletics for
hands, body and soul' - is devilishly difficultly written. For Howard, no hurdle was too
high. He has the pure, supple power that the Greek composer had in mind and changed
Xenakis's relentless form into a seductive rhythmic spectacle. As a counterpart he
chose Zeitlin (on) by Max Wilson, in which he put to good use his strong feeling for
lazy, jazzy timing.
[De Telegraaf, 4th March 2003]